Winter Wonderland
by greengirl82
Summary: It's time for the BAU's annual Christmas party and Emily's not happy. Written for: Tigerlily888's prompt 'Hooking Up At The Office Christmas Party'


**Winter Wonderland**

Disclaimer: Still don't own Criminal Minds, CBS does. I also don't own Christmas... Not sure who does, Santa maybe?

Summary: It's Christmastime at the BAU, which means it's time for a Christmas Party but it seems Emily's less than pleased to be all alone during the holiday.

Timeline: Alternate Universe, Christmas Eve

Special Thanks To: **TigerLily888** who gave out the prompt "**Hooking Up at a Office Christmas Party**" to several fanfic writers. I can't wait to read what everyone else wrote.

A/N: So here's my attempt, I hope everyone likes it... Happy Holidays!

Thanks for reading, do remember that reviews are like Christmas gifts...

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><p>Norman Vincent Peale said, "Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."<p>

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><p>Emily opened up her bottom desk drawer pulling out the Christmas presents she stashed in there for the team.<p>

All she wanted was to pass of the presents then leave. Looking up she saw everyone paired off with their significant others.

_'Great'_ Emily thought bitterly to herself, _'Since when did the BAU turn into Noah's Freaking Ark?' _

She didn't like that she was becoming this bitter during a festive season, but she didn't need to be reminded of the fact that she was Miss Single-As-It-Comes thrown in her face by the lack of a date during an office Christmas party.

She looked up relieved when she saw three of the most obviously single BAU boys talking to each other. Reid, Dave and the always commitment-phobic Morgan.

Her heart dropped when she saw three women walk up and pass the guys their drinks.

_'Are you freaking kidding me?' _Emily's mind yelled, _'Great, this is the last thing I needed now.'_

Emily groaned when she saw that even Anderson had a date for the party, _'Seriously, did someone sign the BAU up for the Dating Game and forget to tell me?' _

Emily picked up their three presents and walked over plastering a fake smile on.

"Hey boys" Emily said passing out the presents, "Here's your Christmas presents. Now off to play Santa for a few more people then I can get out of here."

"What's the rush, Princess?" Morgan asked, "It's a party. Stay have a few drinks, get a few kisses from under a mistletoe and collect your goodies."

Emily raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "As tempting as that doesn't sound, I'm going to have to say no. I just want to go home, kick up my feet and watch the snow while drinking some eggnog."

"So who else is next?" Dave asked eyeing the pile of presents on her desk.

"Oh" Emily said looking at the desk, "Garcia and Kevin, JJ, Will and Henry, then Hotch and Jack."

"Really went all out, huh Princess?" Morgan teased seeing the look she shot him, "Ok. Go on, go pass out the goodies."

Emily grabbed the presents and left the men.

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><p>Emily quickly passed out the presents and frowned when she couldn't find Hotch anywhere.<p>

_'Huh, he couldn't have slipped out? Could he?'_ Emily asked, then shook her head _'Nah, Garcia would've announced that to everyone.'_

Going up the catwalk, she noticed a small light on and tapped lightly. If he was asleep she wouldn't want to disturb him but knew he'd want to leave to go spend the holidays with his son.

She tapped again speaking softly but a little louder, _'Maybe he can't hear over this Christmas crapola music.'_

Shaking her head, she knew she needed to lose this Grinch-like attitude, she shouldn't be bitter to the holiday just because she was alone. It was her own fault for not looking.

If she wanted a man, she'd have to go out there looking, not expect one to drop in her lap. Even if that was her ideal Christmas present.

"Hotch?" Emily said opening his office door, "You in there?"

"Here" Hotch muttered causing the brunette to turn to see him laying on his office couch "Over here."

Frowning she closed the door behind her and set the gifts down on his desk as she walked over to him. Kneeling next to the man covering his face with his arm.

"What are you doing in here?" Emily asked "And why are you laying down?"

Hotch removed his arm and looked over at her, "Trying to hope this holiday party will pass by without having to acknowledge it."

Raising an eyebrow, "If you don't want to be here, why don't you just leave and go spend Christmas Eve with Jack?"

Groaning as he sat up, smoothing down his messy hair, "Jessica took him to spend tonight and tomorrow morning with her parents. I won't get him until at least tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh" Emily said getting up to sit beside him, "Sorry."

Shrugging his shoulders, "It's alright, I'm glad. He'll have a good time with them, it's just... I hate this time of year."

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><p>"Why?" Emily asked looking over at the gifts Hotch's already received, "Seems like you made out like a bandit in the gifts department."<p>

Hotch chuckled, "Well it's not all about that, and most of those are for Jack. Seems my team loves to spoil my son..."

"Especially Garcia." Emily said seeing the brightly colored wrapping paper, "So why do you hate this time of year then?"

Hotch sighed, "It's just that... Not that long ago, I had someone to spend it with. A family."

Licking her lips, "Well you still have Jack to spend it with." Emily said observantly.

Hotch nodded in agreement but said quietly, "Sometimes I just miss spending time with someone other than my six year old son."

"You miss spending time with an adult that doesn't constitute as being on the clock?" Emily asked.

Hotch shrugged then said, "Something along those lines."

Emily leaned over and said lightly, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hotch shrugged his shoulders, "Shouldn't you be out there with everyone else having a good time?"

"No, actually I was passing off the last of the Christmas presents and heading home." Emily told him.

Frowning at that, "Why?" Hotch asked.

"It's a little too couply down there for me." Emily said, "Seeing everyone paired up with someone. I just need to go home and unwind, drink, watch an old Christmas movie or something."

"Oh" Hotch said looking down into the bullpen, "Everyone has someone?"

"Even Reid." Emily said chuckling, "And as much as I love those people, I really don't feel like being the fifth wheel down there. I'd rather be at home curled up in front of a fire drinking hot chocolate watching a marathon of Christmas movies."

Hotch smirked at that, "Wow I'd figure you for watching scary holiday movies like Black Christmas or something."

Looking over at him, "If I'm stuck here listening to another person butcher another holiday song I just might be tempted..."

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><p>Emily walked over to the window, then turned looking at him, "Looks like the team is busy eating some kind of... Who the hell baked gingerbread men in the shape of FBI agents?"<p>

"So the coast is clear?" Hotch asked walking over to her by the window and chuckled in defeat, "Guess not, look at them..."

"Passing around sparkling cider, eggnog, candies and gifts" Emily sighed, "Guess I'll never get out of here."

Hotch looked over at her, "If you want I could sneak the portable tv that Dave's got hidden here, and we can hang out in here without worrying about the party downstairs..."

Hotch saw the shocked expression on her face, "Or I could just distract the team and you can sneak out. Never mind, it was probably a bad idea."

"No, I'd like that" Emily said grasping at his arm, "The tv idea. Wait, Dave has a tv in his office? Where? I've been in there a million times and I've never seen one."

Hotch chuckled lightly "He has it hidden behind the books on his entertainment center."

Emily walked to the door and peeked out, "The coast is clear. You go get the tv, I'll get us some snacks, maybe the dessert tray too."

Hotch looked down and seen everyone preoccupied with one of the girls the guys brought entertaining everyone in a horrible rendition of Silent Night.

Emily hurried down to the bullpen grabbing as much food on a tray while grabbing a bottle of cider and hurrying back into Hotch's office.

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><p>Emily sat next to Hotch on his office couch while he plugged the television in setting it on the coffee table in front of them.<p>

"Close the blinds too" Emily said seeing him raise an eyebrow she rolled her eyes, "You want to explain to them that you're actually enjoying being in your office instead of at the office party? They'd probably drag you down there to have their version of fun."

Hotch closed the blinds and sat next to Emily taking one of the gingerbread agents and looked at it.

"Now call me crazy but doesn't this one look a little like Reid?" Hotch asked holding up the gingerbread man cookie.

"This one looks like JJ." Emily said holding up her own, "I think Garcia baked these."

"This one looks like you." Hotch said, "She even got the red lips..."

Emily shook her head, "I'm half tempted to say something really inappropriate but since it's Christmas, I'll just have to resist. Consider it a Christmas present."

Chuckling, "Well thanks for that. I guess." Hotch said turning on the small television.

As she handed him a cup of cider and said, "Oh look, It's A Wonderful Life is on. I love that movie."

"One of my favorites too." Hotch told Emily settling in next to her.

Emily felt Hotch wrap his arm around her, as she leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder as they both watched the movie.

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><p>JJ opened Hotch's office door and held in the gasp she wanted to let out.<p>

It had been hours since anyone had seen either Emily or Hotch, and here they were asleep in each others arms with a small portable television in front of them playing the end of a Christmas movie.

Turning around she placed a finger on her lips when she saw Dave come up behind her.

Shaking her head at him, but he just smirked when he noticed his two brunette friends on the couch asleep.

Nodding his head to go down the catwalk, he whispered to the blonde, "Anyone asks they've already left."

"Consider it our Christmas gift." JJ replied back with mischievous smile.

"Guess that means I get to keep their presents." Dave joked as the two headed back to their departing team and guests.

"Where's Hotch and Emily?" Morgan asked setting their presents down "I wanted to thank her for the watch."

"Seems they both left earlier." Dave said looking over at JJ.

"Oh" Garcia said pouting, "Well that sucks, I thought she'd hold out longer then that."

JJ raised an eyebrow, "So you could keep introducing her to all the single men in the Bureau? I think that's why she took off."

"Huh" Garcia said huffing out in frustration, "Well if she'd just picked a guy for herself, I'd stop trying to set her up with..."

"Everyone you come in contact with" Dave said smirking seeing the surprised look on her face, "Yes, I know about the agent in Counter Terrorism, the man in Forgery and the cop from D.C."

"I only do it because I love..." Garcia said seeing everyone look at her, "Ok, ok, I get it."

Dave looked over at the darken office, "Come on everyone, lets go get some coffee, Reid's treat."

"What?" Reid squeaked out.

"Relax kid, he's teasing" Morgan joked seeing Dave look at them, "Maybe not."

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><p>Emily awoke feeling her back ache and her neck stiff but her eyes shot open when she felt a pair of warm hands around her waist.<p>

"What the..." Emily groaned as she shot up and looked over to see Hotch look at her, "Where the... Are we still in your office?"

Hotch watched her get up and stretch, then looked outside, "It's morning, it's Christmas."

"Yeah, it is." Hotch said, "Merry Christmas, Emily."

Emily looked over at him, "Merry Christmas, Hotch."

Looking down at her watch, "I guess it's time to go." Emily said looking down into the empty bullpen, "I can't believe I fell asleep here."

Hotch sat up and groaned when he felt his back tighten, he saw Emily open the door to his office, "Emily?"

"Yeah?" she said turning around to face him.

"Do you have plans today?" Hotch asked nervously.

Biting her lip, "Watch the Christmas parade, call my parents, probably talk to a few friends. Nothing big, why?"

Hotch licked his lips, "Would you like to spend the day with Jack and me?"

"Huh?" Emily asked confused but felt her heart fill with hope, "You want me to spend Christmas with you and Jack?"

Hotch felt his stomach tighten, "Yeah. Would you like to?"

She looked over and saw his face filled with anticipation, "I'd like that. And I can give Jack his present myself."

Hotch smiled while he felt himself release the breath he was holding, "Jack will love that." Hotch looked over at the pile of presents for his son, "Wow, I will need the extra help carrying these up in one trip."

Hotch stood up, "You want to come by in an hour or so?"

"If I can help make the Christmas dinner" Emily said seeing the surprised look on his face, "Yes I do know how to actually cook."

Hotch smiled, "Ok, then. It's a date."

Emily blushed at that, and turned around to look at him smiling, "Yes it is."

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><p>Roy L. Smith said, "He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree."<p>

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><p><strong>The End <strong>

Well there's my Christmas story, I hope everyone enjoyed it. How about instead of a present, you all leave a review instead?

**Happy Holidays everyone!**


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